Toy vehicle with motor



June 12, 1956 A. ZIMENTSTARK TOY VEHICLE WITH MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed March 12, 1953 June 12, 1956 A. ZIMENTSTAYRK 2,749,650

TOY VEHICLE WITH MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1953 United States Patent Ofiice Patented June 12, 1956 TOY VEHICLE WITH MOTOR Alfred Zimentstark, Chicago, 111., assignor to Marvin I. Glass, doing business as Marvin Glass and Associates, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 12, 1953, Serial No. 341,960

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-206) This invention relates to improvements in toy vehicles. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a propelled vehicle toy which may be packaged in a knockdown condition so as to be readily assembled by the child.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle toy which may be packaged in a knockdown condition, and readily assembled and disassembled and which has various styles of bodies which may be interchangeably connected to the chassis to form different types of toy vehicles.

Another object of this invention is to provide a propelled vehicle toy which may be packaged in a knockdown condition and readily assembled by the interfitting of the parts and the use of a single bolt and nut.

Another object of this invention is to provide a propelled vehicle toy having a new and improved clutch and driving means so that when the propelling means are tensioned the clutch will be positively locked to the driving means to propel the toy and when the tension has been relieved the clutch will be disengaged from the driving means so that the vehicle is in a free wheeling condition whereby same may be manually pushed forward without tensioning of the propelling means and when the vehicle is pushed rearwardly the clutch and driving means will be engaged to tension the propelling means so that when released the vehicle will be propelled forwardly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive toy of the foregoing characteristics which will provide great play value and entertainment for the child.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

This invention differs from the standard and conventional propelled toy motor vehicles in that the toy may be packaged in a kit with the parts disassembled, whereby they may be readily and easily assembled by a young child merely by following a few simple instructions, thus providing a toy which has an educational value in that the young child learns how to assemble and disassemble various component parts to form an operating vehicle, and also whereby the propelling means is in the form of a rubber band which may be readily replaced if broken. The toy may be further provided with a number of different types and styles of bodies, any one of which may be selectively secured to the chassis and thereby with the use of the same chassis and operating parts, different types and styles of vehicles may be formed, all adding to the play value of the toy.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the toy showing the application of one form of removable body structure therewith.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the parts of this invention, with the body of Figure 1 shown broken away.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the parts as,-

sembled and showing in dotted lines another type of body structure, for example, a fire engine truck.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the wind-up member. Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing the clutch member in elevation and the driving gear in cross-section.

Fig. 6 is a view of the driving gear.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the driving gear and an elevational view of the clutch and showing the parts in clutching position.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts in non-clutching or in free Wheeling position.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 looking at same from the top.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 looking at same from the top.

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the clutch member and driving gear looking at same from the rear, and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 looking at same from the front.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the toy as shown therein is formed of a supporting frame, generally indicated at 14, and a body member 16 which is adapted to be positioned on the supporting frame and secured thereto, as will be presently described. The frame, as shown therein, is adapted to support not only the body construction 16, shown in Fig. 1, but it will be seen that said frame may support any other type of vehicle style or body construction, as will be explained hereinafter with reference to Fig. 3. i

The frame 14 is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a pair of side members 18 and 20 and front and rear walls 22 and 24. The side members 18 and 20 are provided with two pairs of alined substantial-1y U-shaped recesses 26 and 28 within which are supported and journalled the front axle 30 and rear driving axle 32 respectively. The front axle supports a pair of removable wheels 31 frictionally secured to the axle, and the rear axle has fixed thereon a pinion 33 and a disc 35, as well as a pair of removable traction wheels 37 which wheels are frictionally secured to the axle 32 to rotate therewith. A pair of spaced collars 41 are provided on the front axle to prevent lateral shifting of the axle. The disc 35 on the rear axle is positioned adjacent the side wall 20 of the frame and with the driving gear in engagement with the pinion 33 the rear axle is prevented from lateral shifting.

Intermediate the length of the frame and preferably formed integrally therewith is an inverted U-shaped mem ber '34 which has side legs 36 extending upwardly from the sides 18 and 20 of the frame and a transverse member 38 which is provided centrally thereof with an open ing 40. The plane of the transverse member 38 is above any of the Walls of the frame 14.

The front wall 22 of the frame extends above the side members 18 and 20 and is provided with a semi-circular recess 42 at the top thereof, within which is journalled the wind-up member generally indicated at 44. The front wall 22 is also provided with a tapered abutment 46 adjacent the semi-circular recess 42. The shape of said abutment is best shown in Fig. 3.

The frame 14 is provided with a transverse member 48 spaced from the rear wall 24, and said transverse member has a U-shaped recess '50 within which is journalled the clutch member generally indicated at 52. The frame has a pair of spaced front locating pins 39 and a pair of rear locating pins 43.

The body structure 16, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is adapted to be supported on the frame member 14, and the body as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a shell portion 17 shaped to simulate a motor vehicle. has a removable dome 17a which is frictionally secured The shell to the shell body. The interior of the shell adjacent the front is provided with a pair of downwardly extending side walls 54 connected by a front wall 56 which is shorter than the side walls. The front wall has a semi-circular recess 58 adjacent the bottom thereof. The interior of the shell adjacent the rear is likewise provided with a pair of downwardly extending side walls 60, joined by a transverse wall 62.

Secured to the sides of the shell and extending therebetween is a transverse flat bar 64-having a central opening 65 therein. it will be seen that after the operating parts are positioned in the frame member 14, as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 3, that the shell body 16 with the dome 17a removed, may then be placed upon the frame member 14, and aligned through the locating pins on the frame member. The front locating pins 39 engage the corners between the walls 54 and 56an'd the rear locating pins engage the corners between the walls 6i) and 62. The front wall 56 wi.l be positioned over. the top edge of the front wall 22, with the recess 53 in alinement with the recess 42 to serve as a journal for the wind-up member 44, and sides 54 will be positioned on top of the sides 18 and 20 of the frame 14 and over the front axle 30 to retain the axle in place. The transverse bar 64 will rest on the top of the transverse member 38 with the opening 65in alinement with opening 40, and the body will be secured tothe frame by means of the bolt 66 passing through the alined openings and secured by means of a nut 67. The rear side walls 60 and transverse wall 62 will rest on the side members 13 and 20 of the frame and on the transverse member 28 respectively over their respective openingsZSand 50 to maintain the driving axle 32 and clutch member 52 in place. The dome 17a is then frictionally secured to the shell 17.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the body shown in dotted lines simulates a fire engine truck. The body is likewise adapted to be positioned on the frame 14, just described, after the operating parts are in their assembled position, as shown in Fig. 3. The truckbody shown in dotted lines and designated by the numeral 16a is provided with an integrally formed supporting structure shown in full lines therein, and said supporting structure comprises a horizontal wall 68 which extends between the side walls of the truck body, a pair of front side walls 70 joined to said horizontal wall, and a transverse front wall 72 provided with a semi-circular opening 73'. Also secured to said horizontal wall 68 is a pair of rear side walls 74 joined by a vertical transverse wall 75. The horizontal wall-68 is provided with an opening 76 so that when the truck body is positioned on the frame 14, the opening 76 is alincd with the opening 40 of the frame, and the truck body is secured to said frame by means of the bolt and nut, as previously described. When the body 16a is thus positioned on the frame member 14 the front locating pins 39 will engage the corners between the walls 70 and 73 and the rear locating pins will engage the corners between the walls 74 and 75. The horizontal wall 68 of the supporting structure rests on the top of the transverse member 38 and the front side walls 79, and the rear side walls 74 of the body supporting structure rest on the side walls 18 and 2b of the frame 14 and over the front and rear axles respectively to lock same in their respective places. The front wall 72 is positioned over the front wall 22 of the frame 14 with the semi-circular opening 73 in alinement with the semi-circular opening 42' of the front frame member to secure the Wind-up member'44 in place; and the transverse wall 75 is positioned over transverse member 48' of the frame to secure the clutch in place.

While two forms of vehicle bodies have been shown, it'

will be understood that other types and styles of bodies may likewise be formed and interchangeably positioned over the frame 14 to lock the respective operating parts in place.

The operating parts for said'toy vehicle will now be 4 described. The wind-up member, indicated by the numeral 44, and best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, comprises a semi-cylindrical extension 73, a cammed disc 79, and a stub shaft terminating in a hook 81. The rear face of the cammed disc has two diametrically opposed spiral shaped camming surfaces 32 and 83, each terminating in lips 84 and 85 respectively; The wind-up member is positioned in the semi-circular opening 42 on the frame so that the stub shaft 80 seats within the opening and the inner face of the cammed disc is positioned adjacent the projecting portion 46 so that the cammed surface is in engagement therewith. When the wind-up member is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, the cammed surface will override the projection 46, however, when the windup member is released, either one of the lips 84 or 85 of the cammed disc engages the projection to lock same against counterclockwise rotation.

The clutch member 52 and the driving gear, indicated generally by the numeral 86, will now be described. The driving gear- 86 is formed of a crown gear having laterally extending-teeth 87 and a slotted wall 88. The slot comprises a pair of opposed rectangular shaped slots 89 and 90 communicating with a central circular slot 91. The slots 89' and 90 each. have longitudinal curved edges 92 and 93' respectively, to-permit overriding of the clutch in one direction, as will be described. The clutch member, indicated by the numeral 52, comprises an annular plate 94, a hub 95, stub shaft 96 and an O-shaped end 97. The plate 94. has a pair of ribs 98 and 99, each having one rounded edge 100' and 101 respectively. The ribs are adapted to cooperate with the slots 89 and 90 and the rounded edges of the ribs and cooperating slots permit overriding of the clutch with respect to the driving gear in one direction, as will be explained.

The clutch-member 52 is secured to the driving gear 86 by passing the O-shap'ed end 97 through the slotted wall 88 of the driving gear and positioning the ribs 98 and 99 in the slots. The hub'95 rotates within the central circularslot 91. The unit is then positioned on the transverse wall 4Swith the stub shaft 96 of the clutch in the opening 50; asbest shown in Figs. 3, and 7 to 10 inclusive. A conventional rubber band 102 (or a number of rubber bands)" is connectedto the end 97 of the clutch and the hook 81 of the wind-up member, as best shown in Fig. 3. With the operating parts thus assembled and secured in the frame member 14, the body 16 or 16a may then be secured'to the frame 14 by the bolt and nut 66 and 67, as previously described. The body 16 or 16a completely covers the frame and operating parts and the wind-up member 44, the clutch 52, driving gear 86 and the two axles 30 and 32, are secured positively to the frame 14. It will be seen that the front of the body 16 or 1611 extends forwardly ofthefront wall 22 of the frame and the extension 78 of the wind-up member. A key 103, having a semi-circular opening 104 is inserted through a suitable opening 105' in the body 16 or 16a to engage the extension 78' of' the wind-up member 44 to wind the rubber band. The key has a tapered end 106 which may be used as a screw driver in fastening the bolt 66 to the nut 67.

Clockwise rotation (looking the same from the front) of the wind-up member 44 will twist and wind the rubber band 102 to tension same, which draws the clutch member 52 inwardly or to the right, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the ribs 98 and 99 interlock with the slots 89 and 90 of the driving gear. By holding the rear wheels 37 of the vehicle, driving gear 86 through the pinion 33 on the axle 32 is prevented from rotating, consequently, the winding up of' the rubber band will prevent the clutch from rotating, thus permitting said rubber band to be tensioned. In the winding up operation, the cam disc 79 on the wind-up member 44 by-passes the tapered abutment 44' on the front wall of the'frame, but as soon as clockwise rotation is stopped, the abutment 44 will en'- gage' either of the" two lips 84" or 85 of the cam disc 79 and prevent reverse rotation of same, thereby maintaining the tension on the rubber band.

When the toy is placed on a surface and the driving wheels are released, the tension on the rubber band will maintain the clutch 52 in engagement with the driving gear 86 and thereby through the driving gear 86 and pinion 33 drive the traction wheels 37 to propel the vehicle forwardly, until such time as the rubber band has been unwound and the tension released. After the tension has been released on the rubber band, ribs 98 and 99 of the clutch member will not be held in the slots 89 and 90 of the driving gear 86. Thus, if the vehicle is pushed forward manually, the driving axle 32 and pinion 33 will be rotated clockwise (looking at same from the right side of the toy as in Fig. 3), thereby rotating driving gear 86 clockwise (as viewed from front) and permitting the driving gear through engagement of the rounded edges 92 and 93 with the rounded edges 100 and 101 of the ribs to override the clutch member 52 without imparting rotation thereto. This permits the vehicle to be pushed manually forward without tensioning the rubber band and provides a free wheeling action. It will be noted, however, that if the toy is manually pushed rearwardly, the counterclockwise rotation of pinion 33 will cause the ribs 98 and 99 of the clutch to engage the slots 89 and 90 of the driving gear and rotate the driving gear counterclockwise, thus winding the rubber band to tension same. During this operation the wind-up member 44 is locked in engagement with the projection 46, so that when the toy is released it will be propelled forwardly.

I have thus provided a toy which may be wound to be propelled forwardly, which when manually pushed rearwardly acts to wind the toy so that it will when released move forwardly, and which also may be manually pushed forwardly in a free wheeling action without imparting any tensioning to the propelling means. While I have described its use in connection with a rubber band, it will be understood that any other type of spring means may be used in this combination and that a coiled spring could be substituted for said rubber band.

It will be understood that various changes may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a propelled toy vehicle adapted to be assembled and disassembled by the user, said vehicle comprising a rectangular shaped frame member, a pair of axles detachably secured thereto, each of said axles carrying a pair of Wheels, one of said axles forming the driving axle and carrying a pinion secured thereto, said frame having a transverse member positioned adjacent said driving axle, a clutch member rotatably secured on said transverse member and supporting a driving gear, said clutch member having ribs and said driving gear having a slot, so constructed and arranged that when said clutch is in engagement with said driving gear said ribs will be in said slot to rotate said gear to drive said pinion and when said clutch is out of engagement with said driving gear said ribs will be overriding said slot, and tensioning means secured to said clutch for operating said clutch aforesaid, said frame member having an attaching surface, a body having an attaching surface adapted to be positioned adjacent said frame attaching surface, and detachable securing means engaging both said attaching surfaces to detachably secure said body to said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,203,438 Webster Oct. 31, 1916 1,399,667 Sladek Dec. 6, 1921 1,446,476 Mitchell Feb. 27, 1923 1,580,831 Lewis Apr. 13, 1926 1,609,211 Sladek Nov. 30, 1926 1,877,661 Heisler Sept. 13, 1932 2,590,515 Derham Mar. 25, 1952 

